Operational Test and Evaluation of Human Factors Interventions for Airport Security Screeners

As the terrorist threat to civil aviation evolves, future improvements in aviation security must be accomplished by adopting innovative, proactive methods of enhancing screener contributions to overall security system effectiveness. The Screener Proficiency Evaluation and Reporting System (SPEARS) is a person-centered approach to improve screener selection, training, and performance. Screener selection uses a battery of perceptual tests to identify job candidates with optimal potential to be successful screeners. Computer-based training is multimedia instruction to prepare screeners for all of their job responsibilities, with an emphasis on identifying sophisticated threats. Threat Image Projection provides the capability to insert fictional threat images into the X-ray image displays of actual passenger bags. This is done to increase screener vigilance and measure system detection performance. A 6-month test and evaluation of SPEARS is being conducted in conjunction with 9 major air carriers, involving thousands of screeners at the 19 major U.S. airports.